Combination household implement

ABSTRACT

A multi-purpose implement comprising a curved body adapted to fit the hand when partially closed, one end of which is provided with a can top pouring aperture forming element, an intermediate portion which comprises an air hole piercing element, the can top being punctured by downward pressure of the hand of the user over the can or other container, as distinguished from upward levering hand action, the body of the implement being provided with means for engaging a finger ring worn by the user to assist in holding the implement, the air hole punch being struck from the body and providing an aperture with opposed parallel edges providing a wrench for nuts and bolts, other portions of the implement including bull-noser means, crimped bottle top remover means, cord cutting means, screw driver means, and square or hexagonal nut manipulating means, all of which are within the thickness of the strip of metal comprising the body.

Einited States Patent [1 1 Thompson Sept. 11, 1973 COMBINATION HOUSEHOLD IMPLEMENT Primary Examiner l-larold D. Whitehead [76] Inventor: Clarence E. Thompson, 29322 23 gj i f g Parker Whitley Collins Dr., Palos Verdes, omey an 0c 3 ea Calif. 90274 [57] ABSTRACT [22] Fned: June 1971 A multi-purpose implement comprising a curved body [21 Appl. No.: 151,279 adapted to fit the hand when partially closed, one end of which is provided with acan top pouring aperture forming element, an intermediate portion which com- [52] U.S. Cl 7/l4.25, 30/6.1,83l(/);292l1, prises an air hole p g element the can p being 5] l t Cl B6", 7/44 Bzsf i punctured by downward pressure of the hand of the 7/14 14 2 R user over the can or other container, as distinguished l le 0 care 1/ 4 from upward levering hand action, the body of the implement being provided with means for engaging a tinger ring worn by the user to assist in holding the imple- [56] References cued ment, the air hole punch being struck from the body I UNITED STATES PATENTS and providing an aperture with opposed parallel edges 2,715,264 8/1955 Atwater et al. 7/l4.25 X providing a wrench for nuts and bolts, other portions of 2,788,572 4/1957 the implement including bull-noser means, crimped bottle top remover means, cord cutting means, screw 21195553 3 1940 Meier et al. 30/61 dr'ver means and Square or hexagonal nut mampulat' ing means, all of which are within thethickness of the strip of metal comprising the body.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures COMBINATION HOUSEHOLD IMPLEMENT This invention relates to a combination implement. Basically, the device is a can opener comprising a rigid strip of metal having an endbent upon itself and providing a tapered blade for cutting a pouring opening in a container top, the body strip having an air hole punch located intermediate the ends, and the body of the implement in general being adapted to overlie a can being punched so that it will swing over and downwardly toward the can with downward pressure exerted by the hand of the user. This distinguishes from conventional can piercing devices in that the fulcrum is so arranged that the container must be grasped in one hand while the implement is hooked under the bead of the top and operated with an upward pull by the user. This difference greatly simplifies the can punching operation because it utilizes downward pressure supplied by part of the weight of the user and a can can be pierced to provide a pouring opening and an air inlet opening with one hand instead of the two hands required with devices presently available.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this type with means for hooking beneath a finger ring on the hand of the user. Thus, the implement need not be tightly gripped when it is being used and in food and beverage dispensing operations, where. a large number of containers are being opened in a short period of time, the operation can be accomplished quickly and easily.

Additionally, it is an object to provide an implement made up of a rigid strip of metal wherein other features are incorporated for different functions, such asrotating nuts and bolts, inserting and removing screws, bullnosing or reducing the comers on pieces of wood, removing crimped bottle caps, and cutting string or the like, all of these features being incorporated in the The above and other objects will more fully appear from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1. is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention. r I

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of a .metal container, portions of which are broken away and showing two positions ofthe implement relative thereto in broken. and full lines;

FIG. 3 is-an elevation illustrating its use as a crimped cap remover;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the implement and the upper portion of a container with the implement in position to punch a single hole in the side of the container P;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation show-ing the implement used as a screw driver;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the implement showing its use as a bull-noser or corner rounder for pieces of wood.v

The device illustrated comprises a body 8 comprisin a strip of rigid metal having throughout most of its length a convex upper side 10 and a concave underside 12. One end portion of the body 8 is bent downwardly at 14 and inwardly at 16, and the extreme end thereof is tapered and sharpened to provide a cutting blade 18 of the type conventionally used for piercing can tops to provide pouring openings, such as the opening 20 in the top of the container 22 in FIG. 2. Adjacent the upper portion of the blade 18 a lug 24 is struck outwardly from the body or strip 8 to hook beneath the bead 26 around the top of thecan or container 22.

When the lug 24 is hooked under the bead 26 in approximately the broken line position of FIG. 2, the blade 18 overlies the can top and when the implement is swung about the lug 24 as a fulcrum in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, the blade 18 will engage and pierce the top of the can with a forward and downward pressure of the hand of the user.

Intermediate the ends of the body 8 is an air hole punch 28 in the form of a tongue struck from the body of the implement. It extends downwardly as illustrated and as the implement is rocked over and downwardly the punch 28 will punch an air hole in the top of the can. The punch, upwardly from its lower end, is shouldered as at 30. In normal operation the punch will puncture the can top until the shoulders 30 at either side of the punch engage the metal of the top so that the shoulders provide what might be termed a depth gauge. Clearly, the air hole will only be the size of the punch between the lower end and the shoulders 30. However, if a larger hold is desired, additional hand pressure on the implement will force the shoulders 30 through the can top and-the additional width above th shoulders will enlarge the hole.

When used as a can opener the can can be held in the hand by placing the curved portions 14 with knurled surfaces 32 against the base of the thumb with the concave-convex body extending toward the finger tips. The length of the body from the curved portion 14 to the opposite end is preferably such that theends of the tingers can curl over the end of. the body slightly to grip the implement between the finger ends and the base of g the thumb. In this position, the hand is slightly flexed to conform to the curvature of the major portion of the implement. When so held, the lug 24 canbe placed under the head 26 of the can top and the implement rocked with downward pressure from the broken line position of FIG. 2 to the full line position thereof. Be-

7 cause of this structure, the user can hold the implement in one hand and pierce a can top without requiring that the can or other container be securely held by the other conventional can piercing dehand', I provide a prong 34 which is struck from the air hole piercing tongue 28, as best indicated in FIG. 3, the prong leaving an aperture 36 in the base of the material comprising the tongue. Prong 34 is bent forwardly, and as shown in FIG. 2, it can fit in a finger ring 38 on a finger 40 on the hand which manipulates the implement. The ring engaging prong 34 is a particular advantage where a number of containers are to be opened in quick succession. It will hold the implement against the hand even though the ends of the implement are not tightly gripped as explained previously.

When the tongue 28 is struck from the body 8, it leaves an aperture 42. The side edges of this aperture I provide with opposed parallel edges 44, 46,48 and 50. The pairs of opposed edges are different distances apart and provide wrench means for turning different sizes of threaded nuts and bolts. One or more individual sized apertures 52, hexagonal or square in shape, can also be provided to permit the implement to be used as a wrench. One end of the body is provided with a partially sharpened extension 54 which can be used as a screw driver, as illustrated in H6. 5.

Extending inwardly from one side of the body, is a notch 56 defined by a long side 58 lying diagonal to the side edge 60. The other side of the notch is defined by a short side 62 defining a book 64. Intermediate the ends of the long side 58 of notch 56 is a projection 66 formed by making the long side 58 slightly angular, the projection 66 providing a fulcrum when the notched portion is slipped over a crimped bottle top as shown in FIG. 3. Initial downward pressure on the cap with the hook 64 beneath the edge will permit the projection 66 to serve as a fulcrum upon which the implement is tilted to begin the unseating of the cap. A second fulcrum is provided at 68 for the final removal.

Formed in the curved portion 14 of the body is an aperture 70 defined by a flared wall portion 72 in the thickness of the rigid metal strip comprising the body 8. The inner end of the aperture 70 is defined by a sharpened edge 74. This sharpened end, as shown in FIG. 6, serves as a bull-noser for takingoff the sharp edges of a piece of wood. Here again, as in the case of the wrench portions and the crimped cap removing portion, all the structure for providing these functions is located within the thickness of the body 8 so that these features will not interfere with the operation of the device as a can piercing implement.

The curvature of the body 8 is so related to the cutting blade 18 and fulcrum lug 24 that the pouring opening 20 is formed by blade 18 by a'rolling or tilting and pressing movement of the hand and that most of the pouring opening 20 is completed before the punch 28 encounters the can top. When this does occur, the tilting or swinging momentum has increased and the action of the punch 28 is produced with less effort because resistance of the can top to the blade 18 has been greatly diminished.

The curvature of the body 8 is such that the wrench portions 42, 44, 46, 48, S'and 52 can be used conveniently, since the body8 curves away in opposite directions from the point or plane of location of a nut to be turned.

. It should be noted that the bottom of the notch 56 which defines the crimped cap remover is defined by a sharpened edge 74 which can serve to cut string or the like. This cutter is also noted to lie within the thickness of the strip of metal defining the body 8.

It should be noted that the screw driver feature 54 can also be put to different uses, such as the prying of lids from paint cans and similar containers having crimped tops, and for removing the lids of some food containers made of glass and having priable metal tops.

lt should be understood that various-changes can be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved,transversly flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medial underside of said body, and a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body.

2. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved, transversely flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface,a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending doenwardly from the medial underside of said body, a can head engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and a finger ring engaging prong on said body in closely spaced relation to the convex upper surface thereof and having a free end receivable in a ring on a finger of the user. 7

3. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole' cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved,transverscly flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medialunderside of said body, a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and said air hole punch comprising a tongue struck'from said body and extending in a downwardly direction relative thereto, and said finger ring engaging prong being struck from said tongue in an upward direction from said body.

4. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved, transversely flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medial underside of said body, a can head engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and said body having an aperture resulting from the tongue struck therefrom, and said finger ring engaging prong lying in the vertical space coinciding with said aperture.

5. The structure in claim 1, and said downwardly and inwardly directed end portion providing a curved abutment adapted to lie against the base of the thumb of the user, and the length of said body from said curved abutment to the other end of the body being such that said other end will be received by the outer end portions of one or more fingers of the user.

6. A combination implement including a body and a ,pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved, transversely flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medial underside of said body, a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and a bull-noser comprising a portion of said curved abutment having an aperture therethrough, the aperture being defined by outwardly flared wall portions of said body, and the juncture between said aperture and the underside of said body comprising a cutting edge.

7. The structure in claim 1, and said air hole punch having a sharp free end and having an enlargement spaced from the free end to provide an enlarged air hole when said punch is pushed through a container top to a point beyond said enlargement.

8. The structure in claim 1, and said air hole punch comprising a tongue struck from said body, and the aperture in the body resulting from striking the tongue therefrom having parallel pairs of opposed edge portions comprising threaded nut tightening and loosening means.

9. The structure in claim 1, and said body having threaded nut wrench portions formed therein within the limits of the upper and undersides of the body.v

10. The structure in claim 1, and a portion of the body, spaced from said air hole punch, having a notch defined by a long side extending diagonallyinwardly from a point on the edge of the strip of metal comprising the body at an angle to provide a first fulcrumat said point and having a short side spaced laterally from the long side and defining a hook, and the long side having a projecting second fulcrum intermediate its ends.

11. The structure in claim 10, and said notch having an inner end portion defined by a cutting edge. 

1. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being lOngitudinally curved, transversly flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medial underside of said body, and a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body.
 2. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved, transversely flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface,a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending doenwardly from the medial underside of said body, a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and a finger ring engaging prong on said body in closely spaced relation to the convex upper surface thereof and having a free end receivable in a ring on a finger of the user.
 3. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved, transversely flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medial underside of said body, a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and said air hole punch comprising a tongue struck from said body and extending in a downwardly direction relative thereto, and said finger ring engaging prong being struck from said tongue in an upward direction from said body.
 4. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved, transversely flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medial underside of said body, a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly Curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and said body having an aperture resulting from the tongue struck therefrom, and said finger ring engaging prong lying in the vertical space coinciding with said aperture.
 5. The structure in claim 1, and said downwardly and inwardly directed end portion providing a curved abutment adapted to lie against the base of the thumb of the user, and the length of said body from said curved abutment to the other end of the body being such that said other end will be received by the outer end portions of one or more fingers of the user.
 6. A combination implement including a body and a pair of can top hole punching elements, wherein the improvement comprises: the body comprising a rigid strip of metal having an upper side and an underside and having one end portion directed downwardly and inwardly beneath the adjacent body portion and terminating in a generally downwardly directed curved pouring hole cutting blade, said strip of metal, from said downwardly and inwardly directed portion to its other end, being longitudinally curved, transversely flat and several times wider than its thickness and presenting a convex upper surface to fit the hand of the user when the hand is in a slightly flexed position, the width of the body intermediate its ends providing a hand pressure surface, a can top air hole punch struck downwardly from said body and extending downwardly from the medial underside of said body, a can bead engaging element extending outwardly from the downwardly and inwardly curved end and lower than the convex upper surface of the strip of metal comprising said body, and a bull-noser comprising a portion of said curved abutment having an aperture therethrough, the aperture being defined by outwardly flared wall portions of said body, and the juncture between said aperture and the underside of said body comprising a cutting edge.
 7. The structure in claim 1, and said air hole punch having a sharp free end and having an enlargement spaced from the free end to provide an enlarged air hole when said punch is pushed through a container top to a point beyond said enlargement.
 8. The structure in claim 1, and said air hole punch comprising a tongue struck from said body, and the aperture in the body resulting from striking the tongue therefrom having parallel pairs of opposed edge portions comprising threaded nut tightening and loosening means.
 9. The structure in claim 1, and said body having threaded nut wrench portions formed therein within the limits of the upper and undersides of the body.
 10. The structure in claim 1, and a portion of the body, spaced from said air hole punch, having a notch defined by a long side extending diagonally inwardly from a point on the edge of the strip of metal comprising the body at an angle to provide a first fulcrum at said point and having a short side spaced laterally from the long side and defining a hook, and the long side having a projecting second fulcrum intermediate its ends.
 11. The structure in claim 10, and said notch having an inner end portion defined by a cutting edge. 